The relationship between passive use of social media and subjective well-being among teenagers: The role of upward social comparison and joy quotient

To investigate the relationship between passive use of social media and subjective well-being among teenagers, a survey was conducted with 558 middle school students. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between passive use of social media and subjective well-being, both overall and in middle and high school samples. Upward assimilation played a positive indirect role in the relationship between passive use of social media and subjective well-being; this indirect effect was significant in both overall samples and those from middle school students. Downward comparison played a negative indirect role in this relationship; this indirect effect was also significant in both overall samples and those from middle and high school students. Happiness quotient mediated the relationship between passive use of social media and upward assimilation; this mediating effect was significant in both overall samples and those from middle school students. …